Quodary Enterprises

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Going into this holiday brings me memories of past years. The year my Dad gave me a tool kit that others didn't think I would like considering I am female. He always seemed to know me better than anyone else. My parents used to make this wonderful fruit cake. It wasn't like the kind sold in stores with the candied fruit. More of a spice cake with raisins, walnuts, coconut and oranges along with certain spices. Think I want to make one this year. Bringing some memories back helps me decide where I want to go this coming year.

What about you? What are your wishes and dreams? We would love to hear your wishes and dreams.

This last year has been so hard that I feel like I got lost somewhere. This made my business suffer due to me not being able to focus. Now is the time to change ways of thinking and doing.

I will give you a rundown of what has been going on.

My Dad passed last year on August 4th. He was my best friend and mentor. I have felt lost without him to talk to at least once a week about everything. He was a wealth of information on almost any topic and knew me better than I knew myself most of the time. He is still in my heart and some people have told me that I am a lot like him. It is a good feeling.

A couple of friends also passed in the last year. They were like family and are missed. Both would do anything they could for anybody. My fiancé and Mom have both been having it rough. Mom has been coping with the loss of Dad and Tom dealing with COPD. I try helping yet at times it is over whelming. My oldest daughter suffered a heart attack a few weeks ago and is coping best she is able. My boys are doing ok, no major problems with them, thankfully. My other two girls have some difficulties, one with physical health issues and the other with mental issues. Both of them are working on their problems but you know how a mother worries.

One happy note is the welcoming of a great grandson in February of this year. He is growing so fast and learning quickly. Know he has to be a handful for his Mom and she is doing a great job. He seems to be a very happy boy. Already is a Daddy's boy.

For me, I am doing ok except feeling needed too many places. Some times wish there was a clone or something to cover what I cannot. It will be okay though because I have a very deep faith in God and he has brought me thru much. He gives me strength and peace.

The business will be grown and updated on a regular basis from here on out, good Lord willing. Never know what might come. I am ready for a change.

We would like to share some joyful news with everyone. One February 14th we welcomed a new soul to the family. This is my first great grandchild. Seems like not too long ago my grandchild was just a baby and now she is beginning a family of her own. Guess we were busy living life instead of just watching the time pass.

I met her working at the most difficult job of my life - as a helper in an after-school daycare center. I was completely unprepared for the work; I had no training and my temperament seemed to be particularly unsuited to the position.

I reminded myself that I was hired to watch the children, play with them and lead arts and crafts - not fix all of their problems, of which there were many. And my only help was Mrs. Tucker, a 73-year-old retired social worker who worked with me. All that stood between the kids and disaster was me and a 73-year-old woman. And I wasn't that sturdy a defense. But I soon learned that Mrs. Tucker was a master with these children.

"Some children just need more love," she always said. A case in point was Timmy. Timmy received special help at school because of his emotional problems. He was developmentally delayed. He often fought with other children and was a compulsive hair-puller. I could never get close to Timmy - he did not trust anyone. Anyone, that is, except Mrs. Tucker. He responded her. He genuinely loved her because, I came to believe, she loved him.

One day a fight broke out between Timmy and one of the other children. After separating them, Mrs. Tucker directed Timmy to sit in a chair. He screamed, "I HATE YOU, Mrs. Tucker! You're a mean, old lady! I hate you!"

"I know you hate me right now, Timmy," she said firmly, "but I'm sure not going to let you pull the other children's hair."

After a while Timmy had calmed down and Mrs. Tucker called him over. His cheeks were still dirty and bore dried tear streaks. I could not hear their conversation, but I saw Timmy put his arms around her neck. When I walked by I heard him say, "I'm sorry I called you a mean old lady, Mrs. Tucker." I knew he meant it.

A little later Mrs. Tucker said to me, "Timmy just needs more love than other children."

On another occasion I heard Timmy's mother say, "You work magic with him, Mrs. Tucker. He doesn't respond to anybody like he does to you."

As we move from 2015 to 2016 I stop to think about all the things that have happened. My Dad made the transition from this life to the next. A few people I knew and love went the same way. There have been good things during the year. No major car problems and finances are a little better.

I used to worry about so many things and I have decided to let life be and live it the best I can. Guess the best choice is to go with this:

As the original prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. ~ Reinhold Niebuhr .

If I can change something then great. If I can't then just let it be.

My prayer for you is to find peace and joy in your life. We love people and try to make a difference where we can. You never know what a small act of kindness can do for another.

Carefully examining a display in the drugstore, a man asked the pharmacist, "Do you really guarantee this hair-restorer?"

The pharmacist responded, "Better than that, sir. We give a comb with every bottle." Wouldn't you love to have that kind of confidence?

One man quipped, "When it comes to believing in myself, I'm an agnostic." One of the greatest problems many people experience is lack of confidence. Some don't believe they “have what it takes,” others are afraid to try something they've never done before, others hang back out of shyness and still others don’t believe they measure up to friends or colleagues.

Of course, those inner fears do not need to define you. Or control you. And one of the simplest ways to banish them is through healthy self-talk. It has taken most of a lifetime, but here are some things I now know about confidence:

• Your words and your thoughts have immense power. Be careful what you think and say.

• Be gentle with yourself. Don’t say you don’t like your body, your looks, your personality. Treat yourself like a good friend. (If you don’t, who will?)

• Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes. We all make them. Tell yourself you’ll do better next time and let it go.

• Remember what you do well and don’t worry about the rest. You have a unique contribution to this world.

• Remind yourself that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. You may need to tell yourself this many times.

• Tell yourself that your fear will not hold you back. Tell yourself that you can do what you’re afraid to do. Encourage yourself.

Too many of us are not aware of the tremendous power of our words and thoughts. They are yeast in life’s dough. They quietly work deep inside until they eventually change the character of the dough itself. Those who move from fear to confidence, those who believe in themselves and are secure within, have learned to let the yeast of good words and thoughts grow - to work their magic.

We all reach a time when we realized what truly matters in our life. It is the people and relationships we have. It is never about stuff, money, fame or anything else. I knew what mattered and tried to keep connected with family yet it kept seeming that things I thought needed to be done were just motions of going thru life. Granted some things such as laundry, dishes and the like are important but making sure we tell the people in our life that we care and do what we can for them are more important.

My Dad recently made the transition from this life to the next and he will be greatly missed. A man of full of love for his family. One that could talk to anybody about any subject and could get into a conversation with anybody. Knew more about mechanics than most and could give ideas about finding the simple solution to any problem.

Robert Jones, you will be missed by so many whose lives you have touched.

“ At the end of the day, you are solely responsible for your success and your failure. And the sooner you realize that, you accept that, and integrate that into your work ethic, you will start being successful. As long as you blame others for the reason you aren't where you want to be, you will always be a failure. ”

― Erin Cummings

Often we make excuses for not accomplishing something. I have been guilty of that too. Do you have a desire to do something that is important to you? Decide how much you want it and follow that dream. The only one stopping us is ourselves. Surfing the net, playing games, watching tv a lot are all ways we stop ourselves from creating our desired future. It does not mean we must hurt another or break a law. I challenge each of you to figure out what you really want to do with your life and go for it.

We had a wonderful time connecting with people on the July 4th weekend at Scottsville Virginia. We wish to thank all those that came by our booth and the interest in our products. We hope to hear from you. Add a comment to a blog post, send us an email or submit a form. Connecting is important for both of us. It helps us understand what your interests are and how we can better be of service.

Thomas Landram is the designer and builder of our planters. Many people liked the design and sturdiness of the planters. More to come. We will bring out product for Christmas in late September. So much more to come.